RAMAYANA FOR CHILDREN --AYODHYAKANDA --CHAPTER 13

RAMAYANA FOR CHILDREN, AYODHYAKANDA--CHAPTER 13

What had Dasaratha done to deserve such a fate? He lay stretched on the bare earth. It was like the emperor Yayati whom the gods hurled down to the earth! But, Kaikeyi, Sin incarnate, was furious at the delay. She snapped her fingers at the monarch. “Ideal monarch! You brag loudly about your strict adherence to Truth. You never go back upon your word. But you would be my debtor for you have granted me two boons!”

It took some time for Dasaratha to recover from the shock. He turned upon her with wild fury. He cried at Kaikeyi, “You mean wretch! My tireless foe! You want to drink my heart’s blood. You want my Rama to live with savage beasts? You bent yourself to a foolish woman’s whim. You bartered away the life of my Rama for a fickle-minded swain? What put you up to perpetuate such wickedness? Where shall I hide my disgraceful self? Shall I say that I banished Rama from the Kingdom? Shall I say it was to fulfil my promise to Kaikeyi? That would be the truth of it. But would they not reply, “What of your word to us and to Rama?” Alas! I have broken it. I moaned and waited for sixty thousand years for an heir. I was, at last, fortunate to be blessed with Rama. And you want Rama’s life to be doomed in the forests? Rama is the bravest of the brave. There is not a science nor an art he has not mastered. He has sweet patience. How shall I give my consent to drive him away to the forests? He is the idol of my subjects. My tongue will blister if I speak to him to go to Dandaka forests! My eyes shall not see Rama undergo pain and misery. Who deserves more of joy and comfort than he? I wish to die before having to tell him to go to the forests. Why do you desire to do this to Rama?”

The sun set upon the sight of a weak old man. He was the lord of the earth. But now he is raving like one demented! The moon was an eyesore to Dasaratha. He spent the long night like one afflicted with an incurable malady.  He fixed his tearful eye on the sky. He called out to it in heart-rending lamentations. “Star bedecked Queen of Night! Have pity on me and continue ever. I am powerless to flee from Kaikeyi. If it dawns, my subjects will seek me out. And I will be relieved the sight of my enemy. Kaikeyi is the author of my woe.”

Then Dasaratha stood up. His thoughts wandered to another point. He stood before Kaikeyi with clasped hands. He sought to turn her from her purpose. “Girl! To the world, I am a God-fearing and principled man. I may die at any moment. My heart is wounded. You are my only hope. Besides, am I not your lord and husband? You owe me reverence and allegiance. I have made you what you are. You are my favourite queen of the ruler of Kosala. Let these things weigh with you in granting me my prayer. There was none with us when I gave you the two boons. You may drop them now. Thereby you will not incur the displeasure or ridicule of any. But my promise to Rama is far otherwise. I have passed my words to all the kings from the four quarters. So have I given my words to saintly Rishis and holy Brahmanas and to the millions of my subjects! If I break my pledge, how would I stand in their esteem? You are but a girl. Some intriguer may have put you up to this obstinacy. Let be; I pass it over. But grant me my prayer. I love you so much. Now I crave your pity for Rama. It is true that the kingdom is yours by right of the two boons. But, I pray you to make a gift of it to Rama. May Rama live long to rule over this realm! He will bless you, the fair donor, every moment of his life! Thus you will earn undying fame in the world of men and gods. It is but a trifle for you to do so. You will confer great happiness on Rama. The whole world will acclaim your praises. Good men will hold you in high esteem. But you might think that it will disappoint my Bharata. Is it what holds you back? No, he is the soul of nobility and justice. He sets no bounds to his love for Rama. Nothing will gladden his heart more.” Thus Dasaratha tried many an argument. He appealed to every possible weakness of hers. Alas! Dasaratha’s heart was open as the day. But Kaikeyi’s heart was blacker than hell. His eyes were red and weary with grief and sleeplessness. Her eyes were redder through rage. Tears rolled down his aged cheeks. She wept hot tears of grief to think that her beauty and wiles had not enslaved him sooner. He stormed, he raged and he entreated hard enough to melt the heart of an iron statue. But she brought into play every art. She tried every stratagem that a cunning woman’s brain could devise. She cooed, she froze, she preached, she philosophised, she cut and thrust to bend him to her will. Dasaratha fainted beneath the shock and came back to himself after a time. “Is this the woman I loved so much? Is she the same Kaikeyi, the faithful wife with a guileless heart?” Dasaratha gazed at her as though it was for the first time he was seeing her. All of a sudden his thoughts turned to the moment when he would have to condemn Rama to the forests of Dandaka. Thus the noble king passed the night with impotent rage and unavailing grief. And when the pale East began to quicken to the sun there came sweet music and songs and sweeter words. Conch, veena, tabor, bards, minstrels, and heralds recalled their lord to the duties of the new day.

But Dasaratha curtly bade them stop! 

      

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